Groundbreaking for two homes for veterans in Sound Beach

Town of Brookhaven officials Thursday will break ground on two affordable Sound Beach homes designated for veterans who have returned from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rocky Point developer Mark Baisch, president of Landmark Properties, is selling the yet-to-be constructed homes at 67 and 69 Tyler Ave. at reduced prices for the veterans.

As part of a four-lot subdivision, Brookhaven's Board of Zoning Appeals last summer gave Baisch approval to build a house on each lot, with two of them to be designated for veterans, officials said. Each lot is 7,300 square feet.

Supervisor Edward P. Romaine will speak at a 1 p.m. news conference at the home sites.

Brookhaven officials along with Baisch say this is the first time building lots in the town have been set aside for veterans housing.

"Nobody has ever gotten a land division where homes can be for returning veterans," Baisch said in an interview Wednesday.

He said he plans to sell the two homes for less than $249,000 each; the other two homes will be sold for $439,000 each.

Baisch, who has built 10 homes for veterans in Brookhaven and Islip towns in the past few years, said the Long Island Housing Partnership, a nonprofit that supports affordable housing, is applying for local and state grants on his behalf in hopes of lowering the veterans homes' prices to $199,000.

"What's really, really nice is that these are being sold at less than market value for returning veterans," said Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner, who represents Sound Beach. "This will help them get on their feet and stay on their feet."

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6249 in Rocky Point will pick the veterans who will move into the homes, said Joe Cognitore, the post commander.